Old Boat on His Credit Report Sinks Man’s Credit

By Faye MergelPublished: Friday, December 4th, 2009

Fred Anderson’s stolen fishing boat has long been hauled to the scrap yard, but it still keeps messing his financial life.

Last year, he applied for a loan but was denied after his would-have-been creditor found out that there was a $765 court judgment on his credit report. It was about a bill that Anderson refused paying to a towing company after it hauled his boat that was stolen and dumped in a northern portion of Minneapolis. Anderson did not want the vessel back and thought he would not be billed for towing charges when he made his point clear.

Anderson was able to turn things around, filing a case against Wrecker Services, Inc. Last month, a judge ordered the towing company to pay him $865 for the troubles it caused him.

The 61-year old Anderson says his intimate knowledge of the court system has helped him fix an error which tarnished his credit report. He had learned a lot from being a civil and criminal investigator, most recently in the public defender’s office of Hennepin County.

He used to ease his sense with his Alumacraft boat, which he fitted with swivel seats and a fish fender. He said he would sneak out on his boat and go fishing to relieve his stress after working on a case.

The boat went on its finally journey on the spring of 2007 after he lent it to his nephew. Without his knowledge, Anderson’s nephew broke its outboard motor and brought it back to Minneapolis for repair. But somebody stole it along with its trailer. It is illegal in the state to leave a detached trailed to the police had it towed.

He went to the city impound lot after knowing what happened because it is where most towed properties are brought. But Anderson did not find it there. He later received a notice from Wrecker Services informing him that his boat was on their lot. He is allowed to retrieve it but only after paying $765 for impound charges.

Anderson did not want to pay that amount for a junkie worth about $500 so decided to say farewell to it. But he was denied a loan for a private detective’s license in November 2008 after the court’s judgment was reflected on his credit report.

This March, he filed a reconciliation case and was able to win it. The company thought it was not worth fighting for the case so Anderson went on unopposed. Unfortunately, he still has to wait for the previous judgment to be removed from his credit report so he can finally work with a creditor again.